Search To Resume For 15-Year-Old Missing In Pennypack Creek

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Authorities say the search will resume Wednesday morning for a 15-year-old boy who went missing while swimming in the Pennypack Creek in Northeast Philadelphia.

Police say just before 5 p.m. Tuesday night the teen from Northeast Philadelphia had been riding his bike on the path near Frankford Avenue and Ashburner Street with three friends. He decided to go in with one of the other boys, but the current was too strong. While the other boy made it to safety, it carried the 15-year-old for a quarter mile.

Chopper 3 HD was over the scene as crews searched the creek between State Road and Frankford Avenue. Police officers searched the banks while divers searched the water.

“One of the males was not able to get back to shore. His friend tried very valiantly to get to him. It just wasn’t possible. The water is running too fast and the volume is too great,” said Chief Inspector Joe Sullivan of Philadelphia Police.

Friends followed along the banks yelling to the teen until he hit a concrete barrier and went under. The creek was raging due to the morning’s torrential rain.

“Those young men did everything they could do to rescue their friend and obviously they are very distraught right now,” said Sullivan.

During the search a woman jumped in the creek and had to be rescued unrelated to the search. Police say the creek was overflowing – it’s banks and the current raging – conditions too dangerous for divers.

“This is when the water gets dangerous. Several hours after a rainstorm of that volume and that’s the mistake in judgment that we too often see that ends in tragedy like this,” said Sullivan.